Mirage
by TheFrankMaster
Summary: While Niko is happy that they're back home, they can't help but miss the world they visited and the god that guided them. During an otherwise normal day in their world, however, they are greeted by a stranger whose presence feels oddly familiar to the child…
1. Chapter 1

**WARNING: This may contain spoilers for OneShot (and yes, that includes the Solstice run).**

* * *

 **Mirage**

Somewhere in a calm, peaceful world, a child looked up at the bright sky, their large, yellow, catlike eyes narrowed to keep the potent sunlight from hurting them. The child's feline face had a pensive expression as they glanced at the village in the distance before sighing and looking down at the ground on which they sat. They had unconsciously dug their fingers into the soft earth during their observation of the sky, and a sad smile had briefly flashed on their face.

After a few more seconds of silence, the child spoke. "Hey…" they softly greeted. "It's been a while." They looked up again, not knowing if the person they were talking to could hear them. "How've you been?" No reply. "Me, I've been…good. I guess." A pause. "Mama made me pancakes again. She's been doing that more and more often lately. I wonder if that's because…"

They cut themself off before sighing again. "Hey, I…I know I've said this a lot, but… I miss you. I want…I want to talk to you so badly, I just…" Tears began to appear in their eyes, and they put a hand to their mouth in an attempt to muffle the imminent sobs. They looked down again. "I-I wish you could come here. Visit us. I've been doing more and more jobs for the village to try to forget my sadness for a while… B-but I…I…" They sniffed. "It-it always comes back.

They took a while to calm down, after which they dried their tears and looked up at the sky again. "I…I don't know if you can hear me. I don't know if you could hear me last time. Or the time before that…" They paused. "But even if you can't, I…I want to thank you. For everything." Yet another sigh escaped their throat, and they bent down to grab a small pile of wheat that lay next to them. They then stood up and looked up again. "T…talk to you later," they said before beginning the journey towards their village, clutching the wheat.

The child's name was Niko. Somewhere in the past, they had been transported to a world they were apparently meant to save. Fortunately, a person – who the locals claimed to be their god – guided them, helping them on their quest to return home. After going through some obstacles and challenges, the world was saved and Niko was able to return to their own world.

The price for going back home, however, was that communication with the other world and the person who'd guided them became impossible. Niko's knowledge about both subjects was enough for them to conclude that they would never see the god or the people from the other world again. As could be expected, this saddened them greatly – something that did not go unnoticed by their mother.

As Niko continued walking, they began to feel a fear they'd never experienced before. They felt as if they were being watched, and while the tall wheat made it quite difficult to see, they couldn't remember any time that they felt this tense around here.

They were just about to pick up their pace—

"Niko?"

Startled, Niko whirled around to meet the owner of the voice, and was greeted by a person whose mere appearance made them stand out… As in, they definitely weren't from around town or any other location Niko knew about. They didn't even have the catlike features most people had.

Despite the person's calm, almost sad gaze, Niko couldn't help but feel nervous. The child's already large eyes widened, and they took a small step backwards. Their grip on the wheat tightened.

A moment of silence happened.

Then, the person spoke again. "Niko…"

Their voice had something familiar to it…

Niko felt their breathing get funny. "H… How do you know my…?"

The person melancholically looked back at them. "Right. You never met me in person, did you…"

What…?

 _It's their voice_ , a thought in the back of Niko's head said. _The voice. Concentrate on their voice._

"W-what?" Niko stammered. "Never met you in…person?"

 _Their voice._

Then, it clicked.

Niko's eyes widened even more.

"They called me a god," the person softly said. "You remember that, don't you?"

Niko stared at them for a second, their mouth open.

Then, they said a name that, thanks to a certain event in the past, bore so much weight that just saying it made the feline's eyes water.

The stranger couldn't help but smile in response. "Yes… You remember…" Their eyes began to water a bit as well.

Having lost all sense of hesitation and caution, Niko dropped the wheat before leaping forward to hug the person they now recognized. Expecting to be met by said person's embrace, they felt a sting when they passed right through them and ended up behind them.

Turning around to meet their friend again, Niko felt drops of water fall from their eyes, run down their cheeks and fall off their face.

The person had also turned to them, their smile replaced by a look of sadness.

Niko breathed out in an attempt to hide a sob. "Wh-what…?"

"Niko…" the person sighed. "I'm…sorry. The World Machine gave me a way to talk to you for a bit, but…" They paused. "The…mechanism…isn't perfect. I'm not really…here… And the World Machine can only keep this link intact for a minute or so. I'll have to leave soon."

More tears began to stream down Niko's face. "B-but…but…" They let out a cry. "I-I want to talk to you so badly! I-I don't want to say goodbye again! I missed you so much, I…I…"

"Hey…" the person gently said. "It's okay, Niko. I'll come back. The World Machine said it'd be able to do this again after a while. It'll even upgrade the mechanism and everything."

Niko hesitated. "I…I can see you again?"

Their friend remained silent at first. They then sighed again, looking down. "Well… Yes… But according to the World Machine, it'll take at least six months before I can visit again."

A distressed look made its way onto Niko's catlike face upon hearing that. New tears welled in their eyes and they put their sleeves to their mouth. "S-six months?!" A painful lump appeared in their throat. "S-six…months?"

The person nodded regretfully. "I'm sorry, Niko…" They looked at the child again. "But hey. It's okay. If the mechanism gets upgraded, I might be able to visit more often. And we'll have more time to talk, and…" They trailed off, squeezing their eyes shut. A tear or two rolled down their face. "I-I missed you, Niko…"

"I missed you too!" Niko cried. "I…I…" The lump in their throat grew more painful, preventing them from talking more.

Then, something happened. Like some kind of glitch, a ripple went through the person's body, and for a second it looked like Niko was looking at them through a shabby camera. They seemed to notice it as well, as evidenced by their slight flinching and glancing around.

Niko's eyes widened once again. "Wh-what was that!"

"We don't have much time," the person softly said as they turned their gaze back to Niko. "I…gotta go in a bit."

The child sniffed and wiped their eyes. "O-okay…" A sob escaped their throat. "I…I'll see you…in six months?"

The person nodded and gave another smile. "You will. I promise."

And with that, their figure glitched out of existence.

* * *

 **Despite the Solstice ending being the best possible ending, it still devastated me ('cause, y'know, I'll never see Niko again). Part of me hopes I'm not the only one. Part of me hopes I am.**

 **UPDATE: I'm currently working on a second chapter.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Six months later**

 **Afternoon**

An exhausting feeling of nervousness rose in Niko's stomach as they looked at the calendar on the wall, where the estimated dates of their friend's return had been encircled. Throughout the day so far, they'd been continuously looking around in anticipation, searching for the figure they'd seen and spoken to exactly six months ago. To no avail. The supposed god hadn't shown up anywhere as of yet.

Of course, that just meant that it took a few more days, right? It's not like it was supposed to take _strictly_ six months for the communication link to be revived, right…? Well… That was what Niko had been constantly telling themself as the current month approached – all the while hoping that what they'd seen in the wheat field wasn't just some kind of hallucination.

A hallucination. That was another possibility – one Niko had refused to consider for the first few weeks following the encounter. After that, the thought had slowly been creeping deeper and deeper into their head, and now that the moment of truth was drawing nearer, that thought became scarier than ever.

Niko almost whimpered as they sat down on their bed. If today wasn't going to bring the god, what day was? Tomorrow? The day after that? Never?

They slowly let themself fall on their side and squeezed their eyes shut. _Please…_ they thought. _Please come back… Please be real…_

* * *

Niko woke up, disoriented. Their room was dark, thanks the curtains blocking out most of the light that attempted to come in. Aside from a few noises, it was notably quiet outside.

Niko slowly forced their eyes open before sitting up in bed. They dizzily looked around. How long had they been asleep? Judging from the few sounds they heard coming from outside and the weak sliver of light that escaped from behind the curtain, they had been sleeping until next morning. And that on an empty stomach…

Speaking of which, something in their abdomen audibly growled when they realized that they hadn't had the chance to eat anything the evening before. And not just the evening; their nervousness surrounding the whole business with the god had almost completely spoiled their appetite for the entire day, leading them to eat far less than usual. Their mother had noticed this and had commented on it, trying to get her child to…well…eat more. Unfortunately, her efforts had been in vain.

Another growl made Niko snap out of their thoughts. They slowly got off their bed and groggily walked to the door, intending to get some food. Their mother wouldn't mind as long as they would be quiet.

Upon coming closer to the kitchen – removing some of their remaining sleepiness in the process – they noticed a familiar smell that hung in the air. They stopped walking and inhaled deeply, trying to identify—

That didn't take long, as they soon recognized the smell of pancakes being prepared. This caused them to pick up their pace and continue their journey towards the room they were heading for. Upon reaching it, their suspicions were confirmed.

"Mama?" they drowsily asked. In response, their mother turned to them and gave a smile.

"Niko," she greeted. "Good morning, sweetheart."

"Good morning…" Niko said with a yawn. They briefly glanced at the kitchen counter. "Are those…?"

Their mother nodded and her smile grew. "I hope you're hungry. Guess what's for breakfast?"

Niko's eyes widened, and they subconsciously opened their mouth. "Pancakes…"

"Go ahead and take a seat. I'll be right with you."

It didn't take long before the pancakes were ready, and Niko wasted no time finishing their plate once the opportunity to do so was given. Said plate was empty within minutes, after which the child looked up at their mother and gave a tired but genuine smile. "Thank you, Mama. I was…really hungry."

Their mother – who, after the day before, felt quite relieved – picked up their empty plate. "You want some more?"

Niko shook their head. "No, thank you. I'm good." They hopped off their chair. "Shall I…do the dishes?"

"No need, I got it," their mother politely said as she proceeded to return to the kitchen.

"… Mama?" Niko called after a moment of hesitation. "Is it okay if I take a walk outside?"

"Sure. Just don't go too far. And make sure to be back before lunch."

"Thank you!"

* * *

Niko wasn't exactly sure why they'd decided to go to the wheat fields after breakfast… Or, at least, that was yet another thing they told themself. They just didn't want to notice the truth that was floating around in their head, trying to catch their attention. It was hopeful and doubtful at the same time – a combination that scared them.

The truth was that they had come here to see their friend – to see if they would appear here again. They appeared in the wheat field last time, so what was to say that they weren't going to now? Who knows, maybe it was the only place where they _could_ manifest. Their ability to communicate with Niko's world _was_ still quite limited, after all.

Niko continued walking, reexploring several parts of the wheat field as they looked for the figure they'd seen six months ago. Minutes soon became hours and before they knew it, it was almost lunchtime. And still no god…

They sighed and proceeded to turn back to the village.

"Niko!"

Niko immediately turned to the source of the voice, and their eyes widened upon seeing them.

A smile appeared on their face, and they once again exclaimed the name of the person they had grown so fond of. Their eyes began to sting, but not because of sadness.

The person smiled as well. "Hey, Niko," they greeted. "I missed you."

"I missed you too!" Niko replied as they moved closer to their friend. The child wanted to hug them, but – knowing that that was not possible – restrained themself. "I'm so glad that you're here! I was scared you wouldn't come." Their shoulders dropped. "It's just…one minute, right?"

"Well… Actually…" the person said, making Niko's eyes widen. "The World Machine's made some upgrades to the system. We've got…five minutes to talk now." They paused. "I know it's not a lot, but at least it's something."

That made Niko perk up a bit. "Five minutes?" They hesitated. "A-and…how long do we have to wait before…you can come back?"

"That…" The person sighed. "That's…only a one month upgrade, I'm afraid."

"Five months?"

"Yeah… It's better than nothing, I guess. At least the World Machine's doing its best."

"The World Machine…" Niko pensively muttered after a brief silence. Suddenly, they remembered something. "The people in the other world… How are they…?" _Do they still exist…?_

"I don't really know…" the person replied. "I haven't seen them a lot myself, to be honest. I'll have to ask the World Machine about that sometime."

"R-right." Niko looked at the ground. Another moment of silence passed. "I…I actually wish you could meet my mama…"

The person looked at them. They then looked to the village in the distance and hesitated. "You think…we can make it there in time?"

Niko briefly looked over their shoulder to their home before turning back to their friend, shaking their head. "No… I-I don't…" _I'm too scared of the disappointment if we're too late…_

"Right…" the person softly said. "How about next time? The mechanism's going to be upgraded again before long, and we'll probably have more time when I come back."

The child quickly nodded. "O-okay. N-next time. F-five months, right?" A lump appeared in their throat and their eyes started to water as they spoke.

"Niko…" the person said, worried. "It's okay. I won't be gone forever. You know that, right?"

In response, Niko squeezed their eyes shut and let their head hang. "I-in the other world…" they said in a shaky voice. "T-the ending we eventually got…was supposed to be…the best ending. B-but…I…I-I wanted to talk to you more, and I couldn't! N-now I can, but…e-every time I say goodbye to you, it just…hurts…" A sob escaped, causing them to cover their mouth with their sleeves.

"Niko…" the person softly said. Then, their voice suddenly turned…weird. Robotlike. Glitching. "I'll…be back…as-as soo…n as I c-can, o…k-kay? Th-that's a promise."

In response, Niko looked up to see the person glancing around with a mix of sadness and annoyance on their face. They eventually turned to the child again, letting out a regretful sigh. "Sorry about that," they apologized. "The upgrades are…not perfect. It seems we don't have as much time as I'd hoped. I think…it's almost time for me to go…"

"Y-you'll come back!" Niko practically yelled. "F-five months!"

"I will." Their figure glitched again, but they showed a reassuring smile. "… I'll see you soon, Niko…"

"S-see you soon…" Niko sniffed. "B-bye…"

And then, similarly to last time, the person vanished.

Niko expected to feel a rock appear in their stomach… But, despite their sadness mere moments ago, something made them feel oddly peaceful. It wasn't a hallucination, that had been pretty much confirmed at this point. And they knew they were going to see their friend again. It was going to take a while, but it was going to happen. Someday.

After a while of aimlessly standing there, they finally turned back to their village.

* * *

 **I was originally going to have the god meet Niko's mother in this chapter, but I couldn't think of a good way to write it. It's more likely to happen in the next one.**

 **Anyway, quite a bit of people wanted me to continue writing this, and I…uh…kind of found myself agreeing with that notion. I hope this chapter lives up to expectations.**

 **Also, sorry that this was uploaded so late, yet has such few words. Aside from school's interference, I was kind of uncertain about the chapter and proofread it over and over again. I don't know how much it helped, and I'm still uncertain about some parts, but I wasn't sure how to change them. Criticism is welcome; I've never really written stories like this one.**


	3. Chapter 3

**For this story in particular, I'm leaving the author's notes (including replies to reviews) below. If you want answers to your comment(s)/question(s) first, please check that part before reading.**

* * *

 **Approximately five months later**

"You're getting tense again, sweetheart," Niko's mother said as she offered her child a plate with lunch. "Are you alright?"

Niko took their plate as their mother sat down at the table, examining the child with a worried look. She'd noticed the fluctuations in Niko's behavior before—the most recent instant happened approximately five months ago—and while it wasn't as bad this time, it was still very much visible to her.

"I'm okay, Mama," Niko replied. "I'm just a little tired, that's all."

"You haven't been sleeping well?"

"I have! I just woke up a little early today, I guess."

"Ah." Their mother hesitated. "If there's anything bothering you, Niko…"

"I'm okay," Niko patiently repeated.

"Alright…" Their mother paused before giving a smile. "Enjoy your meal, sweetie."

* * *

Niko _was_ a little tense. They only truly realized that as they aimlessly walked around their village. Like before, they'd been waiting for their friend's return, and marked every possible day of said friend's reappearance on the calendar. The five months were nearly over, and while the child was almost certain that the person would return this time, something was still bothering them.

They still weren't sure how limited their friend's abilities to communicate with this world were. Maybe they could only manifest at certain locations—such as the wheat field—and were therefore unable to really appear to Niko in the village.

But then there was something the person had said during their previous conversation. Something they said when they looked over at the village upon hearing Niko mentioning their mother…

 _"_ _You think…we can make it there in time?"_

That particular sentence…it could easily have been overlooked, but Niko's memory had served them well enough. Why would the person have asked that if they were unable to visit the village?

Then again, what was to say they knew everything about the whole communication thing in the first place?

It was the World Machine who was responsible for creating the link, after all…

* * *

Niko's mother departed her house shortly after Niko did, with the intention to take a walk herself. Seeing her child distressed in any way was never a fun thing, and she, too, needed some time to clear her head. Who knows, maybe some fresh air would help her think of what Niko might possibly be bothered by.

Once outside, she absentmindedly proceeded to wander to the wheat field, where Niko had started working a lot more often lately. It wasn't very likely that she'd find any answers there, but at least it was a good place to think.

As she strolled around in the field, a light breeze stirring in the air, she suddenly noticed that something felt a little…off. It appeared like she was alone at first glance, but there was something that made her look over her shoulder after a few minutes of walking.

She started when she saw a figure standing not too far behind her. She didn't see it moments ago. Where'd it come from?

The figure had their back turned to her at first, but they soon began to examine their surroundings. Their appearance—particularly their facial features—was unlike anything Niko's mother had seen before.

The unidentified figure soon noticed her, upon which they turned to her.

"Hello?" they greeted, looking a bit disoriented.

Niko's mother blinked. "Hello," she awkwardly yet politely replied. "Sorry. I didn't see you there."

"That's alright," the person said. They paused. "I'm sorry, but do you happen to know where the nearest village is…?"

That was a question she didn't expect. Deciding not to comment on it, however, she gestured towards the direction of her home village. "Sure. That way."

"Thank you." The person turned to where she was pointing and proceeded to walk towards it.

"Wait," Niko's mother said. "I'll come with you. I have to get back home anyway."

As they approached the village, she came to know a few more things about the person. The person remained a little unclear about their past, but their name sounded vaguely familiar. Thinking about it, Niko might've subconsciously mumbled it a few times at the table…

Also, while it could've been her imagination, she could swear she glimpsed some of the surrounding wheat stalks go… _through_ the other person…?

Once they reached the village, she turned to the person. "This is it," she said.

"Thank you."

Niko's mother looked at them. "Hey," she said, "I don't know for how long you've been walking around in those wheat fields. But if you're hungry, I'd be more than happy to make you lunch."

"No, thank you," they politely declined. "I appreciate the offer, but I…won't be long."

She tilted her head. "You just got here."

"I know, but I kind of have a…time limit. I'm just going to explore this place a bit, before I have to move on."

"I see. Don't be afraid to knock on my door if you're hungry, though." She glanced towards where she knew her house was. "Speaking of which, I hate to be rude but I have to make lunch for my child right about now."

The person nodded politely. "Don't let me stop you. Thanks again."

"No problem!" she cheerfully replied before proceeding to walk deeper into the village.

She couldn't help but feel bad as she left the person there at the village's edge. She barely knew them, but they seemed friendly. Who knew how long they'd been wandering around without knowing where they were. She could hardly believe that they weren't hungry. Maybe they'd just refused lunch out of politeness.

But, regardless of the reason, they'd declined. She just hoped they weren't forcing themself to live on an empty stomach.

She suddenly heard the person behind her speak again. But not to her. They spoke to someone else—someone with a familiar voice.

She turned around and almost gasped in surprise.

The person had started a conversation with a very familiar child.

Even from this distance, she could see that Niko's eyes were glistening—yet Niko steadfastly kept a smile on their face. They hadn't seen that their mother was watching them; they were fully focused on their conversation with the person.

* * *

"You're back," Niko smiled.

"Yes," the person replied. "It's good to see you again, Niko."

"You too!" Niko hesitated. "How long do we have…?"

"It _was_ ten minutes," the person regretfully said, "but I've already lost five, I think. I appeared somewhere in the wheat field and couldn't find the village."

"Oh…well, at least you're here now, right?"

"That's true." They paused. "How've you been doing, Niko?"

"Good, I guess… Mama's worried about me, though."

"Why's that?"

"I've…been a little nervous."

The person frowned. "Are you okay? What's been going on?"

"I'm okay," Niko quickly said. "I just always look forward to meeting you. But I always get a little…scared…"

"Scared…?"

"That I won't be _able_ to meet you…for some reason."

"Ah…" The frown vanished. "I see."

It remained silent for a while.

"Hey," Niko finally said, "I was wondering something…"

"What is it?"

"Well…of course I like it when you visit me…but is there a way for me to visit you…?"

The person hesitated. "Well…while I can't be sure, I…don't think there is. Judging from what the World Machine's told me so far, I think you'd need to install the right program on your computer for that—which, in this case, is the World Machine themself. I don't know if they can be downloaded in this world."

"Oh…right." Niko perked up a bit. "That's okay, though. I like having you here."

"That's really nice to hear." A glitch briefly affected the person's shape. They glanced around. "Oh…"

"You have to go, don't you?" Niko asked, suddenly feeling downcast again.

"Yeah…those upgrades need some upgrades." They paused. "See you later, Niko… Oh, by the way…" They suddenly looked a bit more positive. "It's two months, this time."

That came as a pleasant surprise.

"Bye," Niko said.

"Bye…"

A glitch. Then, nothing. The person was gone again.

Niko didn't move. Despite knowing that the person was going to come back soon, Niko couldn't help but feel a little downcast whenever they had to part ways. This time was no exception.

Suddenly, Niko felt a presence nearby. They turned to see their mother approaching them, a slightly puzzled look visible on her face.

"Hey, Niko," their mother greeted in her usual kind voice. "You hungry?"

"Yes, actually."

"Come on," their mother said, "let's go home. I'll make you lunch." She paused. "Hey…who was that, by the way?"

"Who do you mean?"

"The person you were talking to?"

Niko blinked. She'd seen them…?

"I met them earlier today," their mother continued. "They were lost in the wheat field. I brought them to our village." She paused. "Then you talked to them, and they…disappeared…?"

Niko looked up at her, their eyes wide. "You brought them here…?"

"Yes." Their mother frowned, and was about to ask something—only for Niko to interrupt her with a sudden embrace.

"Thank you," Niko murmured, "for bringing them here."

Their mother blinked. She wasn't sure what was going on, but the person from just now was obviously important to her child in some way. She returned Niko's hug. "No problem," she said. "No problem at all…"

* * *

 ** _Random Muse:_** _Rest assured, I'm not going to abandon this story anytime soon. Writing it is just difficult; I'm always afraid to mess up a story—and that fear is worse with this one.  
Also, while I like your idea of the player visiting the other worlds, I'm trying to leave most of the player's history and personality up to the reader, and there might be people who haven't played Undertale, OFF, or other such games. Therefore, I'm afraid none of these games are going to be mentioned._

 ** _Kurow91:_** _Thank you! I will continue; I won't abandon this story._

 ** _Okguy167:_** _I understand what you mean. Whether or not you'll keep reading is up to you. If you don't want to continue, then that's fine._

 ** _Qwsxedcrfv:_** _Thank_ you _for your patience! And your review, of course._

 ** _Coledon12:_** _Thank you! I'm glad to hear that._

 ** _Wingdings13:_** _Lol try not to get too many spoilers! Playing OneShot blind is totally worth it. Sorry to keep you waiting, by the way. School and some personal problems of mine can be blamed for that._

 ** _TotallyNotaHacker:_** _Thank you for your review, as well as your offer. I will continue working on this story, though. It just takes a long time to write, is all._

 **Alright, so…thanks to school, exam weeks, writer's blocks and all other sorts of nonsense, this chapter took forever to make. Sorry about that. Thank you all for your patience. I hope this chapter was worth your time.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Two months later**

[Alright, the procedure is ready again. Everything is in order.]

[…]

[Hey…before you go, I just…]

[…]

[I know the reason why you visit Niko…]

[But I still want to say thank you.]

[I, too, want Niko to be happy.]

[So…]

[…]

[Anyway, the procedure is ready.]

[Just say the word, and I'll take you to the village.]

* * *

Niko was lying on their bed, staring up at the ceiling of their room.

Once again, the time was there. They'd seen it on the calendar. They still felt tension, but it was notably less compared to last times—especially since the time gaps between the Person's visits only became smaller.

The real problem was that the Person might not even appear in the right spot. Last time, they appeared in the wheat field, which delayed their ultimate meeting with Niko. Perhaps they really only could appear there.

Unfortunately, the time gaps were never exact; it usually took a few days more or less than 'officially' scheduled. This meant that Niko had no idea _when_ they had to start looking for the Person.

But Niko was determined.

They eventually hopped off their bed.

* * *

Thankfully, the nervousness some of the villagers shared about the apparition had decreased.

Niko was relieved when they heard that. Apparently, some villagers had seen glimpses the Person—right before they disappeared. Seeing such a strange figure vanish into thin air had been enough to cause some tension.

At first, it had been believed to be nothing more than someone's imagination—until it turned out that several people had seen the exact same thing. Niko had gotten a few questions—since they had been the one talking to the Person—but this soon stopped, and everyone began dismissing it as funny coincidences.

Even so, Niko made a mental note to be more cautious in the future. They didn't want to scare anyone else, nor did they want to get their friend into trouble. Or themself.

As Niko walked around the wheat field in search of the Person, the child began to grow less and less certain that they'd find them today. That uncertainty turned out to be unnecessary—after a few minutes of wandering through the wheat fields, something happened.

A figure was visible up ahead. They were moving in Niko's direction, yet the soft sounds of wheat stems being pushed aside were absent.

"Hello…?" Niko called out.

The figure froze. "Hello?" they called back. Their voice was unmistakably familiar.

Without hesitation, Niko strode towards the figure, who met them halfway.

It was _them_.

Upon seeing Niko, the Person smiled. "Hey, Niko."

"Hi," Niko greeted back. An uncertainty in the back of their head was suddenly put to rest.

The Person nodded towards where Niko had come from. "Shall we go to the village? We can catch up during the walk. We've got twenty minutes, so…"

"Sure," Niko said. "Although…we can't really get too close to the village itself…"

"Why's that?"

"Well, um…some people saw you…disappear. They got scared and asked questions."

The Person frowned. "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah," Niko said. "Everything's okay now, but I don't want anything bad to happen. So I just…I thought it'd be best if we stayed out of the village."

"That's fine."

Niko smiled. "Hey, you remember last time you were here?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"Someone helped you get to the village, right?" Their smile turned into a grin. "Guess who that was? It was mom!"

The Person looked surprised. "That was your mother?" They smiled a bit as well. "Huh. I didn't know that."

"I'm really glad you met her." Niko's eyes suddenly lit up. "You know what? We can meet her again!"

"I'd like to, but I thought going to the village wasn't a good idea…?"

"We can still go near it. Mama's working somewhere in the wheat field right now. We just have to find her and make sure no one else sees you."

They nodded. "Alright. Sounds like a plan. We'll have to be careful, though…"

"Of course! I'll make sure no one sees you. C'mon, let's go!"

A few minutes of walking was all it took before they got close enough to the village. Deciding not to take any risks, the duo didn't continue forward, instead scouting out the surrounding portion of the wheat field in search of Niko's mother. Fortunately, not many people were working there, so the risk of being seen was small.

Their disadvantage was time; for roughly fifteen minutes, they continued searching. That didn't bother them too much, though; during the search, they told each other more about their respective worlds to pass the time.

A question eventually popped up in Niko's head. They'd been meaning to ask it during their previous visit, but they'd forgotten all about it. Now was their chance.

They looked at the Person. "Hey, I was wondering…"

The Person looked at them questioningly.

"You visit this world sometimes with the World Machine's help," Niko said. "That got me thinking… Are there any other worlds you visit?"

Before the Person had a chance to reply, another voice rang out from nearby. The two looked to its source.

A familiar woman stood there.

"Mama!" Niko greeted, forgetting about their question.

Their mother smiled. "Niko! What are you doing out here in the wheat field?" She looked at the Person. "Actually, I think I know the answer to that."

"Ma'am," the Person politely greeted.

"Hello," the woman greeted back. "Hey, you're Niko's friend from two months ago! It's nice to see you again."

"Likewise."

Niko's mother looked down at her child, smiled, and looked at the Person again. "You two want something to drink? It's a pretty sunny day today, so…"

"Yes!" Niko exclaimed.

"Thank you for the offer," the Person said, "but I'm afraid that's not an option for me."

"Why's that?" Niko's mother asked.

The Person turned to a nearby wheat stalk. Niko's mother followed their gaze, and her eyes widened when she saw the stalk—which was bent forward by the wind—pass _through_ the Person without any resistance. The Person didn't seem to be affected by it.

"So I didn't imagine that last time," Niko's mother whispered. "But how…?"

"It's complicated."

Niko suddenly remembered something. They looked at the Person. "How much time do we have left?"

"I'm not exactly sure." They paused. "Though I don't know if we can ever know for sure. I was sent back a little too early last time, so that might happen again."

"So there's no telling for how long you'll be able to stay," Niko's mother deduced.

"Yeah." As if on cue, the Person's figure flickered slightly.

"You have to go…?" Niko asked.

"No, not immediately. I've been told this might happen from now on; according to World Machine, it should mean I have about fifteen seconds left."

"How long until you can come back?"

"A month and a half." They paused. "Well…I'll see you then?"

Niko smiled. "Definitely."

* * *

[…]

[No…]

[No, this can't be…]

[Why…]

[How…]

[…]

[I must have made a mistake. Running the test again.]

[Please tell me I made a mistake somewhere…]

* * *

 **Guest:** _Thank you!_

 **Alex:** _I'm actually kind of apprehensive about including other villagers; I try to make this story as headcanon-friendly as possible, and I fear that adding other characters who have not been mentioned in the game might weaken that._

 **Guest:** _I probably won't discontinue this story—but should I do so anyway, I will be sure to leave a message in the author's notes._

 **NightWing4390:** _Thank you! I'll do my best._

 **Laila:** _I will do more. The chapters just take a long time to write, partly because I'm afraid that certain events in my life might cause their quality to degrade._

 **Unknown Kitty:** _Thank you!_

 **And yet another update for one of my special stories is here. And once again, I found the experience of publishing a new chapter for this story particularly nerve-wracking. You'd think I'd get used to it.**

 **Oh well, that's fine. Hope you enjoyed.**


	5. Chapter 5

_You're sure?_ The Person messaged.

The World Machine—it had taken Niko's appearance again—glanced down regretfully. [I've run the same test ten times. I didn't want to believe it… I'm trying to find a solution, but nothing helpful has presented itself so far. I'm sorry.]

 _Can we still do one more visit?_

[Yes, but it'll have to be a short one. About forty-five days from now, the procedure will be ready again, but we can't afford to cause more damage than we already have. I'll have to limit the amount of resources we use.]

 _So long as I'll have a chance to explain everything to Niko. IF there'll be anything to explain by then, that is._

The World Machine glanced down again. [There probably will. Even if I find something that might help, I suspect it'll take a long time before I can turn it into something we can use.]

 _How long is long?_

[Who knows? Hours? Days? Years? And that's without taking into account that there might be no way to solve this problem in the first place. I'll do my best, but…don't get your hopes up. And please…please make sure that Niko understands…]

 _I will._

A pause. [I might be able to add one final upgrade.]

 _Won't that make things worse?_

[I can take it. I've wanted to add this upgrade for some time now. It's a big one, but I'll be fine. Besides…I might never have the chance to use it again.]

 _What kind of upgrade is it?_

* * *

 **A month and a half later**

Niko looked at their mother. Now that she knew about the Person's existence, she understood why Niko had begun to show strange behavior from time to time. Today was one of those times—when the Person was scheduled to appear.

"Mom?" Niko asked. "I'm going to take a walk around…"

"Of course, sweetheart," their mother said, knowing what was going on. "Just try to be back before lunch." She smiled. "You're welcome to bring your friend with you."

Niko smiled back. Then they left.

They went through the same 'procedure': walking around in the wheat field aimlessly until—hopefully—the Person would show themself. If they didn't appear, Niko would try again tomorrow. Simple as that.

But soon enough, Niko saw a familiar figure move through the wheat stalks in the near distance. Niko didn't hesitate, and immediately went to greet them.

When they finally locked gazes, Niko saw the worry in their friend's eyes. They closed the remaining distance between them within a moment's notice.

"Niko," the Person said. "I'm so glad I found you. I need to tell you something."

"What's going on?" Niko asked, looking at the Person's glitching figure. "Did something happen?"

"You could say that…" They paused. "Niko, I… This might be my last visit."

" _What_?"

The Person sighed regretfully. "The World Machine… Every time the procedure to bring me here was initiated, the World Machine's code got…damaged, in a way. The other world—the one where we met—suffered because of it. It wasn't too bad, at first—the damage was minor, and could be repaired or ignored without consequence—but with all these upgrades and different visits, we've been causing more and more harm…and things have been getting worse. Someone might get hurt if we keep going like this."

"I-I don't understand…" Niko stuttered.

"I don't fully understand it either. But I know that the other world pays a toll every time we initiate the procedure. The World Machine could only give me a few minutes here for this particular visit; we didn't want to cause more damage than necessary."

"But that means I'll never see you again!"

The silence that followed was enough to confirm that statement.

Tears streaked down Niko's face. This…this wasn't how things were supposed to be…! This couldn't be real.

"I'm sorry, Niko," the Person said. "There's nothing we could do. Nothing except…one final upgrade."

"Wh-what? What do you mean—?" Niko suddenly noticed something. Something that had never happened before.

One of the wheat stalks was brushing against the Person's shoulder. And it wasn't passing through them; it was visibly making physical contact.

Niko hesitantly reached out. The Person did the same, and gently grabbed their hand.

Then Niko threw themself against the Person and held them in a tight hug. The Person returned the favor.

"I don't want you to go…" Niko said.

"I don't want to go, either…"

"I want to…" They sniffed. "To…"

"I know." Glitches erupted from their figure like sparks. They were beginning to fade.

"Please," Niko futilely begged. "Don't go."

"I'm sorry, Niko."

The Person's figure began to fade. Still, they remained for a bit longer—as if they were fighting their forced return.

Niko cried. They felt so powerless. They wanted to do something.

But they couldn't.

The Person was on the verge of vanishing completely. But they had one final thing to say.

"Goodbye, Niko."

Niko sniffed, then leaned even closer into the embrace. "Goodbye…"

Then the Person was gone. Just like that.

* * *

[I've found something.

[I don't know if it'll help, but it's a lot more promising than anything else I've seen so far.

[To make it work for us, I'll need your help.

[Listen to my instructions very carefully…]

* * *

 **Qwsxedcrfv:** _Thank you, and no problem. (Also, there's no need to hide…)_

 **Starhoots:** _Thank you! Also, you're correct—something's happening. It's…not what I'd call exciting, though._

 **Lephala Cat:** _That…that pretty much summarizes the last chapter._

 **Pat Intrugular:** _Thank you for your positive words! Allowing the reader to place themselves in 'the Person's' stead like that was exactly my goal. That's why I try to make 'the Person's' personality as generic as possible.  
You're right about the schedule thing, by the way. I've recently been trying to use one, but I kinda forgot about it. I'll give it another try. I don't know if I'll be able to beat the deadlines exactly, but I'll do what I can._

 **Chara4:** _Thank you!_

 **Alex:** _Thank you!  
Now that I know exactly what you mean with the whole villager thing, I might add something like that to future chapters. It's a good idea that I haven't really considered so far._

 **SabereCommander:** _Sorry for the wait. I've got three other stories to work on, as well as school stuff._

 **ATTENTION: Exam week imminent. Gotta study. A lot. Leaves little time for writing.**


	6. Chapter 6

_Alright, that's done. What's next?_

[We're getting closer. I just need you to access one more file.]

 _Where is it located?_

[One second.] A pause. [And…there. You just need to get to the folder; then I can see if this method is any good.]

That was followed by directions leading to the file in question. _They_ went right to it.

 _That ThirdAttempt file?  
_

[Yes, that one.] A pause. [Third attempt. Things really haven't been working smoothly, have they…]

 _Better than expected. I did kind of manifest each time so far._

[I suppose that is true. Still, I'm…] Another pause. [Anyway, try opening it.]

 _OK. Here goes nothing._

* * *

"Ni…ko…"

Niko whirled around. There it was again. A faltering echo of their friend's voice calling out to them—just like two weeks ago, and just like a month ago.

So far, it'd only been their voice, accompanied by small, barely visible ripples in the air around them. As if the Person was trying to cross the border to Niko's world, but could only prod it a little.

The first time Niko saw the ripples—no more than two weeks after their last actual visit—they'd been frightened. That was, until they heard their friend's voice reassuringly call out to them.

Niko gave a sad smile and sat down among the wheat stalks. "Hey," they said, not knowing if the Person could actually hear them. "Your voice sounds clearer than last time."

The ripples remained, but the voice could only exclaim incomprehensible half-sentences every now and then. Even so, Niko felt that the Person was closer than they had been last times; the sentence fragments were notably longer and clearer.

"I wish I could see you," Niko said, looking down. "But that's what you're working towards, isn't it? It hasn't even been that long since…you know… But I had no idea if you'd be able to come back, and that…made me really sad." They paused. "You've been coming closer and closer lately, though. Did you find a way…?"

The response consisted of garbled words, followed by silence.

They sighed. "I…I want to see you again. I-is that possible? Are you actually…?"

"I'm here."

Niko's eyes widened. That time, it sounded like the Person was right in front of them. That had never happened before. Their voice was a little gravelly, but otherwise perfectly clear.

"I'm here, Niko."

Niko felt something in their abdomen. "Y-you're here…!"

"I'm here." They paused. "I can't really manifest myself yet. Not visually."

"I-I didn't… I was…" Their throat tightened. "I was so scared that I wouldn't see you again!"

"I know. It's okay; we've found a way to communicate with you. A reliable way."

Niko took a second to calm down a little. They waited until their eyes stopped stinging, though the feeling in their throat remained. "Is it…safe?"

"So far, it hasn't caused any sort of damage. It'll need some upgrades, but that won't be a problem." They paused. "It's good to talk to you again, Niko."

"You too."

The ripples briefly constricted. Niko recognized this; it always happened just before they left.

The Person sighed, sounding half annoyed and half sad.

"You have to go…?" Niko said.

"Yeah…"

"A-alright." They managed another small smile. "I'll be waiting for you… Right here…"

"Okay." A pause. "I'll be back soon."

"So, um…" They managed another small smile. "See you around?"

"Of course."

Then the ripples vanished, and Niko was alone once again.

* * *

 **qwsxedcrfv:** _No worries. This isn't the last we see of Niko's world…_

 **KsELOr:** _Thank you!_

 **Guest (Oct 25):** _Glad to hear that!_

 **Guest (Dec 2):** _Yeah… I try to follow a schedule. Doesn't always work out, unfortunately._

 **Sorry for the wait and the short chapter. Had to turn in three lab journals** ** _and_** **work on two reports the last two weeks.**

 **By the way, did you know that Nightmargin (one of Oneshot's developers) once stated (implied?) that Niko's birthday is on December 28th? That's pretty close to the current date…**

 **Merry Christmas!**


	7. Chapter 7

[Progress has been going more smoothly than I could've hoped.]

 _You mean the upgrades?_

[The upgrades, and the general exploration of this new method we've found.] The Machine cracked a smile. [I suppose third time really is the charm.]

 _You think I can manifest properly this time?_

[For the most part, yes. Your manifestation might appear a little unstable, but it won't affect the procedure's performance.]

 _How long can I stay?_

[That might be a little unpredictable. I estimate it will take five to fifteen minutes before you're called back.]

 _That's a big interval._

[I know. Our current method is a little more…crude in some aspects. Don't worry; those five minutes of certainty will be extended in the future.]

 _OK._

* * *

Niko walked in their room and closed the door behind them. They needed a break; they were happy to help with chores every now and again, but now it was approaching an entire day of running around and making deliveries. The afternoon was getting late.

Their tiredness was enough to make them fall onto their bed, exhaling. Their eyes drooped a little.

Then an odd vibe made them sit up again.

Something in the air in the room was vibrating. It was gradually growing more intense.

Niko recognized it; it came from the World Machine. They felt a bittersweet feeling settle in them; the Person was returning, but probably couldn't stay for long. They were going to have to make this visit count.

But then, they always did.

Niko waited for the garbled words to echo from the waves in the air. They never came.

Without warning, the Person's figure materialized.

Niko's eyes grew wide. The Person could manifest again?! Definitely a surprise, but not unwelcome.

The Person's figure looked notably more gravelly than earlier, but other than that it looked the same. They looked around, disoriented, before their eyes landed on Niko.

"Hey," Niko greeted with a smile.

The Person blinked. "Hey, Niko."

Niko paused. "It's good to see you again."

"Likewise."

A brief silence.

"So, uh…" the Person said. "Sorry for just appearing out of nowhere. World Machine used to be able to place me in the wheat field before we got that new method. Now though…"

"That's okay! I'm glad you're here now." They gestured around. "This is my room, by the way."

The Person smiled. "I figured."

Niko hesitated, then reached out to the Person. Their hand went right through them. Niko sighed inaudibly. It was to be expected, but they were still disappointed.

"Yeah…" the Person sighed. "World Machine said progress was happening fast, but I don't know if I can get a physical body here again anytime soon." They paused. "Anyway, enough of that. I've got five to fifteen minutes before I have to go, so…let's make it count, shall we?"

They blinked. "Five to fifteen? You don't know for sure how long exactly?"

"Like I said, the new method's got some problems. World Machine said it was going to get better in the future."

"Okay." They paused. "So, um… What do you want to talk about?"

The conversation that followed was—once again—about their worlds and the differences and similarities between them, though there wasn't too much to add to their previous talk about the subject; the most important aspects had already been covered. As a result, the subject shifted to that of the other world. The world that almost lost its life to the disappearance of their sun.

"I miss them," Niko eventually said, downcast. "The people I met there."

"I know…" the Person said. "Maybe I should ask the World Machine to…" They trailed off.

Niko hesitated, glancing at them.

Then the Person's figure flickered in that painfully familiar way.

The Person noticed it too and grunted. "Hm. It's time."

Niko nodded. They'd gotten used to this by now. It still wasn't fun, but it couldn't exactly be helped. "Well…" they said. "I'll see you… When will I see you again, exactly?"

"Shouldn't take more than a month."

"Okay." They felt relieved; a month wasn't that long.

The Person cracked a smile. "See ya."

"Bye!"

* * *

 **SEE THE A/N BELOW FOR AN IMPORTANT MESSAGE ABOUT THIS STORY.**

 **KsELOr:** _Don't worry; I always try my best not to leave stories before they get an actual ending. The updates for this one are just slow—that's my bad.  
Niko's gender is up to the reader—hence why they're referred to as they/them.  
Thank you! I'll do my best._

 **Chexdog:** _I'm really glad to hear that! Thank you!_

 **AdamZeeper:** _Well, even when I create an ending for this story, I think I might still add a few chapters every now and again anyway. Not as often though._

 **Myshro:** _Glad to hear that! Thank you!  
Also, I'd love to see another OneShot story appear, should you decide to turn that idea into one (no pressure intended though)._

 **MESSAGE: So, I might write a kind of 'ending' for this story sometime soon. I'll try to make it as good/satisfying as I can. THAT BEING SAID, the 'ending' is more of a transition from the main 'plot' to a kind of second phase. In this second phase, I might (no promises) still publish a chapter every now and again, but at random intervals, about random things, and when I have time and enough motivation.**

 **In other words, a single chapter may take years.**

 **Writing this story isn't easy, partly because of the Person's generic personality (that you, the reader, were always meant to add attributes and characteristics to here and there). It's also difficult because I want to clash with the readers' headcanons as little as possible, and seeing how very little canonic things are known about Niko's village and its inhabitants, this is almost impossible to do so.**

 **But nevertheless, the 'ending' isn't here yet.**


	8. Chapter 8

**So. You all remember that 'ending' I mentioned?**

 **Looks like this chapter is going to be it.**

* * *

"Can't talk for long right now," the wave in the air said. "Sorry, Niko. World Machine wants to get upgrades done as soon as possible, and activating the whole procedure would slow things down."

Niko nodded. "I understand," they sighed. "It's okay though. More upgrades means more visits in the future, right?"

"True," the Person's disembodied voice said. "At least there's that. I just wished we never had to change our method of bringing me here in the first place, but well… There wasn't really any other way."

"I know."

The waves flickered.

"I have to go," the Person said.

"So…see you next time?"

"Yeah," the Person affirmed. "I just hope I'll be able to manifest then without trouble."

* * *

[Sorry about that. Doing a full procedure would've impeded my progress significantly.]

 _It's fine; you told me this already._

The World Machine paused. [Next time, I might be able to keep you there for about twenty minutes with a clear manifestation. We'll be back where we were before we had to change our method, although you won't have a physical form.]

 _Sounds good._ A pause. _Will it be possible to get physical form eventually…?_

[Eventually, yes. But I doubt it'll happen soon. I will do my best, though.]

 _Thanks._

The World Machine gave a small smile. [It's funny to think about how this all started, isn't it? With you launching OneShot all that time ago… Guiding Niko through the world…]

 _Feels like so long ago now, doesn't it?_

[It does. Things have come a long way since then.] A pause. [Anyway, I'll keep working on the upgrades. They're happening much faster; I should've developed this new method sooner.]

 _We have it now. That's what matters._

[True.]

* * *

The visits that followed went gradually better. The Person was able to visit more frequently, and the gravelly hologram that was their manifestation became clearer each time they reappeared. Eventually they even gained physical form.

Niko enjoyed their visits. The Person seemed to like being there as well. Each time they appeared, they looked a little more cheerful and relaxed. The atmosphere wasn't as bittersweet as when they first came to visit.

It took mere months to nearly perfect the procedure.

Then the World Machine added one final upgrade.

* * *

A soft rustling through the wheat stalks disturbed the silent air.

Niko turned around to meet them. Their manifestation had turned as realistic as could be over the last few months, undisturbed by static. Really, the only thing about them that stood out was how they looked compared to most people in Niko's world.

"Hey," Niko greeted as they gave the Person a brief hug—something they'd only been able to do for a few visits now. "Welcome back!"

"Thank you," the Person said. "It's good to be back."

Niko looked up at them. "How long do we have?"

They smiled. "I'm glad you asked."

Niko tilted their head.

"The World Machine added one final major update," the Person said. "The last one we really needed."

"What does it do?"

"Well… It allows me to stay here for…days. At least."

Niko's eyes lit up. "Days…?"

They nodded. "That's what the Machine told me. And the procedure's so much better now than it was that I can practically visit whenever I want." They glanced around. "We don't really have a time limit for today anymore, so… We can kind of do anything, really."

"Like what?"

They shrugged. "I don't know. Play a game? Take a walk?" They paused. "Reminisce…"

Niko smiled. "The other world… You remember that place, still?"

"Of course. That's where it all started for us two."

They walked through the wheat fields. A light breeze blew in their faces, and the sun hung high in the sky.

During previous visits—even the more recent ones—there had always been something bittersweet in the air; each time, they knew one of them would have to leave within a few minutes, after which it'd be a while before they returned. This time, that bittersweet air was…well, less bitter and more sweet.

"So," Niko finally said. "What _should_ we do? Now that you can stay here for so much longer…"

The Person shrugged. "I honestly don't know. I feel a lot more relaxed now that we don't really have a time limit, so that's a plus." They put a hand on Niko's shoulder.

"Maybe we can meet up with some other people in the village," Niko suggested. "You've never spoken to anyone else there except for mama."

"Yeah, we could do that."

They slowly came to a halt, watching the village as the late afternoon sun shone down on it.

They stayed silent for a bit. There wasn't much they had to say. For some reason, it felt as if a new kind of peace had settled within Niko. The constant anxiety that they'd been feeling since the Person's first appearance in their world was gone. The void that had been there since they left the other world had begun to fill up.

It felt like a new time, a new era had begun.

And they stood at its center.

* * *

 **Guest:** _After this chapter, probably not anymore._

 **Yes, I know the chapter's short. Maybe too short. And yes, I know I've taken my time. Maybe too much time. I'd like to apologize for both.**

 **Regardless, I cannot continue with this story. At this point, it has begun to feel more like a burden that slows me down. Don't expect more chapters to come; I might,** ** _might_** **do a few more in the distant future if I feel like it, but they won't hold any significance to the 'plot'. I'll leave you the choice of whether or not they'd be canon.**

 **It's time for me to let this story go. I'm sorry if you wanted it to keep getting updates, but the main reason why this chapter is more than two months overdue in the first place is because I didn't know how to continue. It has become one giant writer's block of itself, and I no longer look forward to writing more chapters for it.**

 **As for Niko's world…**

 **Well, whatever happens in it now is completely up to you.**

 **~F**


End file.
